1908 Centennial Page

115th Anniversary Celebration 1908 - 2023

NY to Paris Car Race - an epic test of men and machines

2018NYtoParis.com

Film Documentary

Check Out The Following

2024 EVENTS

Does Your Organization Need a Speaker?

A live, first person presentation "The Great Auto Race - New York to Paris 1908 & 2018" is available for your organization. Jeff Mahl takes you back to the turn of the last century for this impossible yet true adventure, just as he heard the saga from his great-grandfather George Schuster Sr., driver of the Thomas Flyer and winner of the 1908 Great Race. Schuster was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame on October 12, 2010**. The story now includes a special update of the remarkable saga celebrating the 110th anniversary of the 1908 New York to Paris Race with 2018 New York to Paris . Join us for the wild ride through automotive history!

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If you would like more information on a program for your group, or to request additional general information via e-mail click: Request for additional information

PRIVACY: The Great Auto Race acknowledges the importance of protecting your privacy. Information which you may provide is never shared with any third party or organization.

< Click to enlarge "Jaw dropping moments... mesmerized the dinner crowd" S. Selvaggio, Events Manager - York Concours d'Elegance. See the York Heritage Trust Program - Review for additional information on "Bandits, Guns and Automobiles", and how it can benefit your organization.

"Incredible... an emotional, spellbinding performance... extremely rare standing ovation!" Bruce Wennerstrom, President - Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving & Chowder Society at Sardi's NYC.

"Highly anticipated evening's program... most interesting presentation ever seen, bar none, and had guests glued to their seats" AACA - National Antique Automobile Club of America 75th Jubilee Anniversary - Review at the Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, KY. Updated July 2023 in Buffalo, NY with Antique Automobile - Review by West Peterson.

"Absolutely brilliant storyteller... kept the audience enthralled and thrilled. A terrific performance that attained a very high level of inspiration and genuine emotional impact" Marty W. Merkley Vice President & Director of Programming Chautauqua Institution For the full review click: Chautauqua - Review

"Magical evening... compelling story" J. Frady, Director - National Automobile Museum. See the National Automobile Museum Program - Review Jeff Mahl at the starting crank of the winning Thomas Flyer, for the grand opening the 2008 Centennial New York to Paris Race Exhibit at the National Automobile Museum (Harrah Collection) in Reno, NV

2024 Commemorative Events!

February 10,2024: The AACA Annual Convention Jeff joins Nick Ellis Executive Director of RPM Foundation presentation on opportunities for youth in technical training particularly their participation in the Great Race X-Cup Division.

June 22 - 30, 2024: Great Race 2024 with over 120 pre-1975 autos that will be traveling more than 2,300 miles from Owensboro, KY to Gardiner, ME in a nine-day vintage car endurance rally competition. This year's run will including several new teams in the X-Cup Division. Younger competitors with Drivers (at least 19 years old) and student Navigators get the opportunity of a lifetime in automobiles much older than they are. Join these youth teams as they experience this great American Event.

August, 2024: The Early Ford V-8 Museum celebrates their Great Race 2024 X-Cup Team! These young students are the future of the collector car hobby with their hard work and dedication demonstrating the best qualities of today's youth. This fundraising event supports their efforts, and the history of Ford automobiles. Hear about the history behind Great Race, with the story of the original Great Race in 1908 from New York to Paris as told by Jeff Mahl Great Grandson of the winner George Schuster!

2024: NEW BOOK RELEASE! The Man and Car That Circled the Globe chronicles the epic adventure in the words of driver and winner George Schuster. This never before published perspective includes not only George's personal memoir, but photos and illustrations from around the world. It also includes a look at the E.R.Thomas Motor Company, builder of the World Champion 1907 Thomas Flyer and the Buffalo Pierce Arrow Museum home to several Thomas exhibits. A great addition to the library of any automotive enthusiast, and now available ONLINE

Past Special Events!

**October 12, 2010: George N. Schuster Sr. was Inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, the Highest Place of Honor in the International Motor Vehicle Industry. Induction is the single greatest honor for an individual, intended to recognize a career and/or lifetime achievement. George took his place among automotive legends including Ford, Andretti, Benz, Ferrari, Olds, and Shelby.

April 14 - July 21, 2011: A Race combining the future with the past. World Race 2011 commemorated the 1908 epic, with a start in New York City, participants circled the globe with their automobiles to the finish line in Paris. The 110th anniversary will be celebrated with 2018 New York to Paris making a run along the original 1908 route!

January 28, 2012: The Henry Ford Museum opens Driving America "The World's Premier Automotive Exhibition" in Dearborn, MI. Featured in the new collection is the 1908 New York to Paris Race exhibit complete with artifacts carried by George Schuster the winning driver of the American built Thomas Flyer! George's sextant which he used to navigate the world route and the crude map he purchased in Vladivostok, Asia give a glimpse of what "horseless carriage" travel was like at the turn of the last century.

January, 2013: The Old Motor launches a new series with the story of the New York to Paris Race Great Race of 1908 For the first time, the saga will unfold including rare colorized images (hand painted by 1909 artists) from the original photos. It will look at the event from a broad perspective, giving a unique glimpse into the people and events surrounding the Race that forever changed automotive history.

June, 2016: The Historic Vehicle Association inducts the Thomas Flyer into the National Historic Vehicle Register. The NHVR is joint effort by the US Dept. of Interior and the Library of Congress to document iconic American vehicles. The World Champion Thomas Flyer changed the automotive world by not only winning the global Race everyone thought was impossible, but also proving the reliability and versatility of this new mode of transportation.

The Flyer with the NHVR joins George Schuster in the Automotive Hall of Fame, both forever a part of automotive history.

June 19 - July 5, 2018: In celebration of the 110th Anniversary of the 1908 New York to Paris Race, we will be venturing with 2018 NY to Paris along the original route across the United States during the first leg. Vintage cars will make the trek through the country, with some remote parts of the route little changed in the past century of automotive progress. A unique opportunity to see spectacular vistas and special venues from the driver's seat of your favorite automobile, while making your own history! For details visit 2018 NY to Paris

Want a Good Book or DVD?

NEW BOOK RELEASE! The Man and Car That Circled the Globe chronicles the epic adventure in the words of driver and winner George Schuster. This never before published perspective includes not only George's personal memoir, but photos and illustrations from around the world. It also includes a look at the E.R.Thomas Motor Company, builder of the World Champion 1907 Thomas Flyer and the Buffalo Pierce Arrow Museum home to several Thomas exhibits. A great addition to the library of any automotive enthusiast, and now available ONLINE

The Great Automobile Race - New York to Paris 1908

From the original account of the race with forward written by Jeff Mahl (great-grandson of George Schuster), this limited edition book is still available. The 85 pages include details of the winning Thomas Flyer and the epic event, as well as numerous original photographs.

"It shows the American car is on a par with the foreign machine and it marks the beginning of the end, in my opinion of the European supremacy." - American Automobile Association, 1908

"Original account of the greatest race ever... It's a must" Read the Antique Automobile review in the May/June 2008 issue of the Antique Automobile Club of America member's magazine. If you would like a copy of The Great Automobile Race - New York to Paris 1908 signed by the author, click: Request for copy of The Great Automobile Race



The Great Race New York to Paris 1908 DVD is now available! See the incredible story unfold in the words of the winner George Schuster, as told by his Great Grandson Jeff Mahl. Packed with original images from the epic 1908 Race, the saga of this triumph of men and machines brings to life a turning point in automotive history. For his accomplishments, George Schuster was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame and the winning American built Thomas Flyer is featured in the Harrah Collection of the National Automobile Museum in Reno, NV. This professionally produced DVD is now available click: Request for DVD The Great Race - New York to Paris 1908

For a map of the original 1908 New York to Paris Race route, visit: Google Map - Greatest Race of 1908

The medical kit given by Doctor Shaw in Seattle with all the wonder drugs of the day, including boric acid, nitroglycerine, and morphine. Dysentery was a common problem. George's remedy was often exercise, running behind the car, and a shot of brandy.

The handmade sextant George used to navigate much of Asia. Detailed maps were nonexistent, and with the language barriers often sign language, the sextant and instinct were their only resources.

The compass George used to circumnavigate the world. The solid brass device was often carried in his coat pocket. It was especially useful at night or on overcast days when there was no sun for reference.

The .32 caliber pistol George carried in his coat pocket around the world. He later used the same pistol to guard the Winfield Smith machine manufacturing plant during World War II.

Halfway To Tonopah by R. Cinkel on exhibit National Automobile Museum

Thomas Flyer Stamp issued by Grenada

Very special thanks and credit to the following for important historical references:

Paintings by artists Peter Helck and Robert Cinkel

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